Friday, December 21, 2007

One of the best musical institutions in Davenport, Iowa is Chamber Music Quad Cities. Twice a year, Greg Sauer (cello), Tom Sauer (piano) and Serena Canin (violin) come to Davenport to visit their family, show off grand children, and perform chamber recitals for hometown audiences. The trio's summer visit unfolds over the course of a chamber music festival. Their winter concert falls right after Christmas and is performed at the intimate Davenport Unitarian Church. It's not uncommon for other friends (violists, flautists, etc.) to come along for the ride too.

In all the years I attended the twice a year recitals I was never disappointed. Their programs are always inventive, mixing the old and the new. They aren't afraid to give status-quo Iowans a jolt of Rorem or Schnittke. This year, appropriately enough, with the composer's 99th birthday behind him and his 100th coming up in 2008, Elliott Carter figures into the winter concert.

There is a Seattle connection to all of this. Greg Sauer, who used to live and work in Oklahoma, taught the Seattle Symphony's own Josh Roman.

UPDATE: Unfortunately the Sauer brothers are no longer artistic directors of Chamber Music Quad Cities. While trying to track down more information about their upcoming concert, I learned Greg and Tom are no longer associated with the organization.